This invention relates to an electrical connector for use in electrical connection and electrical disconnection between first and second electrical devices, the connector comprising first and second connector members to be mechanically mounted on and electrically connected to the first and second electrical devices, respectively, and, in particular to such a two-piece electrical connector using flexible printed circuit boards (FPCs) as contact elements.
A one-piece electrical connector is well known in the prior art for connection between two printed circuit boards (PCBs). The electrical connector is mounted on one PCB and another PCB is directly inserted or fitted to the electrical connector for establishing the electrical connection. In the one-piece electrical connector, it is also known in the prior art to use FPCs as contact elements The use of FPC as contact elements is superior in high density of contacts to the use of conventional discrete metal contacts. However, the connector using FPC needs to a zero-insertion force (ZIF) arrangement for preventing any insertion force from being applied to the FPC because the FPC is easily bent and damaged by the insertion force applied thereto.
JP-A-3 30273 discloses a one-piece connector using FPC which has a ZIF structure where a connecting action is performed after an insertion operation of PCB into the connector. Therefore, the insertion force is not applied to the FPC.
However, the conventional connector is complicated in the structure and large in the size despite of using the FPC. In addition, the conventional connector is complicated in the operation because the connector needs not only insertion operation but also connecting operation.
Another connector is disclosed in JP-A-4 501338 having another ZIP structure using shape memory alloy and a beater for heating the alloy. In the known connector, the connecting action is performed due to shape recovery of the shape memory alloy caused by heating the alloy after insertion operation of the PCB into the connector. Therefore, the insertion force is not applied to the FPC.
However, the known connector is also complicated in the structure and large in the size despite of using the FPC. In addition, it is required to exactly control an environment temperature to avoid erroneous operation of the alloy. Further, the known connector unit is expensive in the cost because the shape memory alloy is relatively expensive.
In addition, those known ZIP structures do not teach application for a two-piece connector.